


Lost and Found

by Dweo



Series: Post Reichenbach [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post Reichenbach, Reichenbach Falls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-16
Updated: 2012-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 15:49:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dweo/pseuds/Dweo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People tend to find Lost and Found the most depressing department in the whole station, but the most interesting things are left behind there. And each tells a story about their owners.</p><p>Story contains indirect spoilers for those not familiar with the books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost and Found

People tended to find Lost and Found the most depressing department in the whole station. People come through all the time and leave things they couldn't always miss, but they would rarely come back and reclaim. And they never stayed; they always left again. Gabriel, Gabe to his friends, on the other hand loved it, which was a good thing since it was where he spent most of his time.

Every day he went through the same motions. He did his morning rounds, made sure everything was where it should be, catalogued new things properly and removed those things that the owners (old and new) had claimed from the ledgers.

The first new object that day was an umbrella, once sleek and black, but well-used now. Gabe raised an eyebrow when he realized which umbrella it was. The umbrella had been a shield, protection; if the owner discarded it could only mean he found something or somebody else to protect him. With a smile Gabe wrote a tag and placed the object on the shelf under MH.

With the first business of the day done he picked up his duster and started to clean. He picked up the rope lying on the shelf, so he could dust under it. He dangled it from his hands and the perfect hangman's noose fell down, before coming to an abrupt halt, swinging menacingly.

The owner had been so close to the noose, but she chose the right way and it was left behind. She might be back one day, but the corresponding noose was used a long time ago and Gabe was sure she was no longer that woman.

A dented and scratched helmet was the next thing he dusted. The last remains of youth. The owner loved that motorbike, but when his friend drove himself to death he chose another path and no longer needed it.

The meowing from under his desk reminded him he still had to feed the cat. The cat had been taken way brutally from his former owner. And she never came back to claim the sweet, innocent, little kitten. Gabe had never been able to decide whether it was a good or bad thing.

A loud crash made Gabe look up from his cleaning work. He walked over to the sound coming from the darkest shelf in the darkest recess of the storage. He looked surprised because where a black box should be there was now an empty spot.

The black box had found its way under the deepest shelf and it took Gabe a few minutes to retrieve it.

"What is wrong now?" he asked it, before he put it on the table. No reply came. There should be a soft rhythmic thumping, but the box was cold and silent.

He opened it, inside was a perfect, anatomically correct replica of a human heart and it was no longer beating. Gabe sighed and placed it on the ledger, ready to be sent upstairs. Its owner wouldn't need it any longer. There had been another heart once. They had been identical, but that other heart had been claimed. The cane the new owner forgot had been a perfect payment.

Gabe sat down and looked forward to what the day would bring. The bing bong of a new customer made him look up. There was nothing but a shadow at the front desk that disappeared when Gabe made movement. Gabe walked to the front and looked at the object placed there.

It was a small doll with blond hair, dressed in a little jumper. It was cute and made him smile. He liked dolls. They were rare in Gabe's experience and the owners would always come back for them. At least if they could.

"I'll just put you here," Gabe said to the doll and placed it on the edge of his desk so it could see the world outside pass by. "He will be back for you, don't worry. You hold his heart. I'll just keep you safe for him." Gabe started to whistle merrily as he sat down again.

The rest of existence might find Lost and Found the most depressing place, but Gabe for it was the best.


End file.
